Yohannes Teklu
Youth constitute one–third of the total population of Ethiopia. While the unprecedented economic, political and social changes taking place in Ethiopia have important bearing on the lives of youth, likewise youth affect the dynamics of development and social change in the country. Sexual and reproductive health is one of these changing dynamics having a profound effect on young people in Ethiopia today. Yohannes Teklu is a Leadership Fellow and Program Associate at The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Population and Reproductive Health Program in Ethiopia where he provides leadership to a variety of programs that serve youth. Yohannes also serves as the Secretary of the National Network of Population/Reproductive Health Leaders in Ethiopia, and is highly sought after for his dynamic trainings.
When I started my first job as a teacher years ago, I never expected that I would have students as old as my father. Or that they would inspire me to work on population issues.
I still remember when my oldest student, who was 50, said to me: "I dropped out of school in the eighth grade to join the army. After serving more than twenty years…here I am . . . a demobilized army major with no employment and no land to farm. Although they are happy to see me alive, my own brothers have refused to share a portion of the family plot with me."
I was teaching in Shonie, a small town in southern Ethiopia’s Hadiya Zone, which is one of the most densely populated areas of the region. The increasing population and shortage of land left many people with limited job opportunities in the area. Through my work in Shonie, I realized the negative impact rapid population growth was having on the community and was inspired to find a way to learn more so that I could contribute to addressing the problem.
I spent years studying population at university and working with Save Your Generation Ethiopia (SYG), an organization focused on addressing the reproductive health problems faced by young people. My work with SYG allowed me to witness and learn from the achievements and enthusiasm of young people trying to make a difference in their communities. These days, when I see young people who were once members of those youth groups finding success as musicians, drivers, teachers, computer professionals, and NGO leaders, I am filled with emotion. It has intensified my belief that, if given the opportunity, young people have a lot to offer to their communities.
In 2002 I received an LDM Fellowship to complete a Masters in Population and Development at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague, Netherlands. I focused my studies on examining existing approaches to sexual and reproductive health programs for youth. In Ethiopia, there seems to be consensus among many stakeholders that youth’s reproductive health needs are pressing and deserve greater attention. Despite that awareness, there is little agreement on which strategies to pursue. By drawing on my experience at ISS, I was able to provide some insight on this debate. It was apparent to me that differences in perspective basically came from fundamental differences in understanding youth and their needs, as well as differences in whether to focus on risky behavior or to deal with factors that put youth at risk in the first place.
When I returned to Ethiopia, I used an LDM mini-grant to organize a training workshop for leaders of youth reproductive health organizations to examine their programs within the context of widely accepted approaches and perspectives. Following this workshop I partnered with another organization to pilot a holistic approach to addressing the needs of youth by linking reproductive health with youth development programs. Lack of opportunities for personal and social development, as well as the prevailing poverty and harmful traditional practices are some of the key issues underlying sexual and reproductive risky behaviors of many Ethiopian youth. It is difficult, therefore, to improve the situation by mere delivery of sexual and reproductive health information and services. I strongly believe that programs need to address the social and economic factors in which the behavior is formed and work towards widening opportunities for personal and social development.
I am now a Program Associate at The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Population and Reproductive Health Program Ethiopia and responsible for various population-related activities, including serving as Secretary of the National Population and Reproductive Health Leaders' Steering Committee. The network’s mission is to build leadership capacity by promoting the transfer of knowledge, experience and skills on population and reproductive health through national/regional networks and enhancing partnership with other stakeholders. I really enjoy being part of this dynamic community of leaders, where there is always learning and development.
The network of reproductive health leaders in Ethiopia has accomplished a lot since its establishment with LDM support. Different learning forums have been created to enhance the capacity of Leadership Fellows and train new leaders at different levels. One of my most exiting experiences as Secretary was the preparation of a Future Search Conference on "Advancing Leadership for Development in the New Ethiopian Millennium". This conference brought together more than 200 participants from all sectors. The design and organization of the conference took more than six months of frequent discussions and compromise to reach agreement. In the end, we managed to organize a very successful conference with a lasting outcome of making leadership development an area of concern for many actors engaged in Population and Reproductive Health as well as other development work.
When I think of the impact of leadership programs that I have participated in and the professional and personal development I have acquired, I remember individuals that inspired and supported me at all levels. I am grateful to all of them. I continue to commit myself to learning and working to inspire others. I want to continue identifying challenges and finding solutions to create a more holistic approach to reproductive health programs.